Back-to-Back Battles: Panthers Fall Short Again in Home Rematch vs. Yelm

Evan Hellner - 3 for 3, 2 RBI, 1 BB

After a narrow one-run loss on the road the day before, the Bonney Lake Panthers were looking for revenge as they welcomed the Yelm Tornados for a spring showdown under blue skies and sunshine. The weather finally showed up for baseball. But despite strong performances and flashes of brilliance, the Panthers fell just short once again—this time 7-5—dropping both ends of the back-to-back series.

Austin Gailushas - 4.0 IP, 3 AH, 2 ER, 5 SO

Sophomore lefty Austin Gailushas got the nod and delivered four strong innings on the mound, giving up just two earned runs on three hits while striking out five. In the opening frame, Gailushas navigated a bases-loaded jam—walking in one run but locking down the rest of the inning with a strikeout and a routine grounder to Eli Hubbard at second.

Bonney Lake responded quickly in the bottom of the second. With two runners on, Brady Sexton tied it up with a laser to left. Then Evan Hellner, who owned the batter’s box all day, ripped a bases-loaded single to give the Panthers the lead. Trent Blake tacked on another run with a fielder’s choice RBI, giving Bonney Lake a 3-1 advantage.

Brady Sexton - 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 SO

Yelm added a run in the third, but one of the biggest momentum shifts of the day came on a play that didn't show up in the box score. Gailushas roped what looked like a sure double to deep right, but Tornado outfielder Colby Ward made a jaw-dropping diving catch, crashing into the fence and robbing Gailushas of extra bases. It was the kind of play that could change a game—and it did.

Hellner continued to shine at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk. His second RBI came in the fourth, extending the Panthers’ lead to 4-2. But as the game wore on, the cracks started to show.

Trent Blake - 2 for 3, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Sophomore Alex De La Cruz took over on the mound in the fifth, and Yelm scratched together two runs to knot the game at four apiece. Then came the sixth.

Three costly errors opened the door for Yelm, and the Tornados took full advantage. They plated three runs in the inning—none of them earned—and seized a 7-4 lead. The Panthers made one last push in the seventh, tacking on a run, but the late surge wasn’t enough.

Bonney Lake drops to 4-14 on the season and will look to regroup before their next game at home against Curtis on Friday, April 25. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. Come out and cheer on your Panthers as they aim to bounce back.

Box Score

Batting

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR	3B	2B	SB
Evan Hellner	3	0	3	2	1	0	0	0	0
Trent Blake	3	0	2	1	1	0	0	1	0
Karsten Ingersoll	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jayden Ortiz-Ruiz	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	1
Austin Gailushas	3	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	0
Keegan Parker	4	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ryan Orcutt	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brody Sexton	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Wyatt Vincent	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0

Pitching

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	W	SV
Austin Gailushas	4.0	3	2	2	5	5	0	0
Alex De La Cruz	2.0	2	5	2	3	1	0	0
Brody Sexton	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0